19 
Burton, Ancient and Modern. 
By R. Moxon. 
Presidential Address, delivered Octobey 20th, 1898. 
Sve of your former Presidents have devoted their 
addresses, or parts of them, to the history of the 
origin of the Society. With your permission I will this 
evening say a few words about the origin of Burton itself. 
A few years ago I had the honour to read some papers on 
the subject of Westminster Abbey, and I then remarked 
upon some respects in which the history of Westminster 
seems to me to run parallel with that of our town. I took 
it for granted that in both cases alike the place owes its 
origin to the foundation of the Abbey. I will say at once 
that I do not think I was far wrong. Nevertheless, in 
both cases, I have in the meantime had my attention drawn 
to a rather different view. With regard to Westminster, 
Sir Walter Besant, in his very interesting book on the 
subject, lays down the notion that it was a busy and 
populous place long before there was any ecclesiastical 
